Curtain drying and stretching rack



June 22, N J WA TA 2,084,661

CURTAIN DRYING AND STRETCHING RACK Filed Nov. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR flrr ([116 faf flew ATTORNEY June 22, 1937.

N. J. 'WAGSTAFF CURTAIN- DRYING AND STRETCHING RACK 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1955 INVENTOR Patented June 22, 1937 7 STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,084,661 1 CURTAIN DRYING AND STRETCHING RACK Norvel J. Wagstaff, Rochester, N. Y

Application November 15, 1935, Serial No. 50,015

, 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to laundry appliances and more particularly to drying racks, and it has for its object to provide a simple, convenient and serviceable rack upon which window curtains having hems at opposite ends can be effectively dried and at the same time held to their proper lengths sothat, when re-applied tothe rods of the window or door from which they come, they will not be found to be shrunk and shortened but will fit perfectly with the desired tautness, but not too much tension, between their rods. A further object of the invention is to provide a rack that can be produced and sold at relatively low cost and which can be readily folded and placed aside to occupy little space when not in use.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully de- 2U scribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rack, extended and ready for use, the same being constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged transverse section taken in a plane parallel to those in which the curtains are disposed on the rack and showing two curtains of different sizes in drying positions;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the rack, folded; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified construction, extended and ready for use, and

Fig. 5 is a somewhat enlarged elevation of Fig.

4 in folded position.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and first to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3, I provide two identical standards I in the form of frames each connected at top and bottom by cross rails 2 and 3. These cross pieces are connected at top and bottom by link connections 4 in the present form of knee joint braces embodying the pivots 5, 6 and 1. Similar braces 8 connect the side posts whereby it will be seen that when the rack is extended, as in Fig. 1, it will have a rigid rectangular form. When out of use,

by means of these link connections, the frames may be, by a parallel motion toward each other, superposed closely one upon the other, as indi cated in Fig. 3, to occupy very little space.

At the tops of the frames, just below the rails 2, cross pieces 9 having a plurality of spaced rod retaining devices I0 and II span the opening. These consist, in the present instance, of rings or screw eyes. Similarly, the lower portions of the post are provided on their outersides each with a plurality of rod retaining devices l2 which are also shown to consist of screw eyes. A plurality of curtain supporting rods l3 and I4 are furnished of a length adapting them to span the cross pieces 9 and of a size permitting them to be thrust through and retained by the retaining devices I0 and II when the frame is extended, which rods are passed through the upper hems of the curtains. They are preferably provided with a knob at one end, as shown, for convenient manipulation and are rounded at their opposite ends so that they will slide through the hems without catching. A similar set of rods [5 are passed through the lower hems. These are engaged at their own opposite ends beneath retaining rods I6 that are thrust through the rod retaining devices I2 on the lower portions of the frames. The curtains A and B shown in Fig. 2 as of different sizes, after being Washed, are stretched in this manner between the upper and lower rods l3 and [5 in spaced relationship with a free circulation of air between them so that they will dry rapidly to the length established by the separation of rods. By selecting the proper retaining devices in the top for the rods l3 and appropriate retaining devices l2 at the bottom for the retaining rods 16, this disposition of the curtains may be effected indiscriminately among the standard sizes.

In the embodment of Figs. 4 and 5, the frames I are pivoted by their lower rails at H upon a base [8 having folding legs l9 pivoted thereto at 20 to turn into superposed parallelism with the base, while at the top they are connected by a single central brace l having its ends respectively pivoted thereto at 1 so that the device as a whole may fold flat to the position of Fig. 5 in which the two frames are side by side in the same plane together with the brace, base and legs. The rod retaining device on the cross pieces 9 consists of notches Ill on the top face and transverse arms H drilled therethrough at a lower level. The bottom retaining rod l6 instead of being supported by the devices I2 are in the form of a retaining bar l6 mortised to fit the posts of the frames ,and which are engaged under hooks l2 at a selected elevation according to the curtain length.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a curtain drying and stretching rack, the combination with a pair of spaced rectangular frame standards, of a plurality of rods adapted to be thrust through and to support the curtains by their hems, upper and lower rod retaining devices on each frame adapted to hold the rods against stresses in opposite directions with the 5 curtain extending between them and one set of which is carried by a cross piece of the frame, one of the retaining devices being adjustable to difierent positions toward and from the other, and link connections between the frames on opposite 10 sides thereof on which they may be folded closely with a parallel movement, one upon the other. 2. In a curtain drying and stretching rack, the combination with a pair of spaced rectangular frame standards, of a plurality of rods adapted 15 to be thrust through and to support the curtains by their hems, upper and lower rod retaining devices on each frame adapted to hold the rods against stresses in opposite directionswith the curtain extending between them and one set of 20 which is carried by a cross piece of the frame, one of the retaining devices being adjustable to different positions toward and from the other,

and link connections between the frames on which they may be folded closely with a parallel movement, one upon the other, said link connections comprising jointed braces at the top, bottom and sides of the frames. 5

3. In a curtain drying and stretching rack, the combination with a pair of spaced rectangular frame standards having cross pieces at the top provided each with a plurality of rod retaining devices, of a plurality of supports on the lower 10 portion of each frame arranged at different heights to resist stresses in an upward direction, a pair of retaining bars engageable selectively with corresponding supports of the two groups, and a plurality of rods adapted to be thrust 15 through and to support the curtains by their hems, the ends of the upper rods being supported in the retaining devices of the cross pieces, and their lower ends reacting against the lower retaining bars. 20

NORVEL J. WAGSTAFF. 

